With paccheri pasta, cherry tomato sauce, chunks of mozzarella and fresh basil, this pasta alla sorrentina is a classic, but simple dish.
When it comes to weeknight meals, pasta is one of the first things to come to mind - from tortellini alla panna to spicy rigatoni to bucatini cacio e pepe.
I love the simplicity and how quick a dish can come together. Most traditional Italian pasta dishes have 10 ingredients or less and this pasta alla sorrentina is no different.
Why This Recipe Works
Simple - as with most traditional Italian dishes, you use a minimal amount of ingredients that generate a ton of flavor.
Quick to prepare - you can have this dish from start to the dinner table in under 25 minutes.
Flavorful - you get pops of sweetness from the cherry tomatoes, freshness from the basil and creaminess from the mozzarella.
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Ingredient Notes
- Pasta - paccheri pairs great with this simple sauce because the ridges can easily capture it.
- Tomatoes - this recipe uses cherry tomatoes which break down and mixes well with the other ingredients.
- Cheese - fresh mozzarella is necessary here as when it heats up it starts to soften and mix with the pasta.
- Basil - adds a sweet/savory profile with peppery and minty undertones which pairs perfectly with the tomatoes.
Ingredient Swaps
While this pasta alla sorrentina is pretty perfect, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- Paccheri is the best option, but rigatoni, ziti or penne work well.
- If you don't have cherry tomatoes, canned whole tomatoes can be used.
- I like fresh mozzarella for its ease of finding at the grocery store and taste, but if you can find it, go for buffalo mozzarella or even smoked mozzarella.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Cook the garlic with olive oil over medium-low heat before adding the tomatoes, basil, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until they start to burst. Smash about half of them.
Add the paccheri to the sauce as well as ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Remove from heat and stir in the mozzarella cheese, allowing the residual heat to soften it.
FAQs
It is a type of sauce consisting of tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. For this recipe, I like the extra sweetness from cherry tomatoes.
It will last about 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
My preferred method is placing the leftover pasta in a skillet with a splash of water. Cook on medium-low until heated through.
You can also microwave. Place in a microwave-proof bowl with a splash of water and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another minute or until heated through.
Side Dish Suggestions
While this recipe is perfect on its own. You can serve with a variety of sides including:
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the pasta alla sorrentina turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Skillet/Dutch oven - you want something large enough to cook the sauce.
- Spoon - you want a good wooden spoon to stir everything together.
- Cheese grater - use a cheese block and grate the Parmesan cheese yourself.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Make sure the water you are cooking the pasta in is salted as some of the flavor comes from it.
- DO NOT overcook the pasta when boiling. You want it just al dente or slightly under. It continues to cook with the sauce.
- The butter can be omitted if you prefer. I like it as it adds some richness to the dish. You might need to add more pasta water to make up the difference.
- Wait till you remove the pasta from the heat or the mozzarella will melt too much.
- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. You want if finely grated so it melts well. Pre-shredded has added ingredients that will just make it clump up.
Other Pasta Recipes
If you’ve tried this pasta alla sorrentina recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pasta alla Sorrentina
Ingredients
- 1 lb paccheri
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 lbs cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, diced into ½ inch cubes
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- salt and pepper to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Save ½ cup of pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in large pan over medium-low heat and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Raise the temperature to medium heat and add the cherry tomatoes, basil, salt, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes start to burst. Smash about ½ of the tomatoes.
- Add the pasta to the sauce as well as ½ cup of reserved pasta water, tossing to combine. Cook for 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, allowing the residual heat to soften it. Top with some Parmesan cheese and more basil if desired.
Notes
- Make sure the water you are cooking the pasta in is salted as some of the flavor comes from it.
- DO NOT overcook the pasta when boiling. You want it just al dente or slightly under. It continues to cook with the sauce.
- The butter can be omitted if you prefer. I like it as it adds some richness to the dish. You might need to add more pasta water to make up the difference.
- Wait till you remove the pasta from the heat or the mozzarella will melt too much.
- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. You want if finely grated so it melts well. Pre-shredded has added ingredients that will just make it clump up.
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